How old is too old for a hot hatch

Discussion in 'General Chat' started by Sean, Dec 28, 2017.

  1. When I was a teenager I can remember seeing older people driving hot hatches and subaru/evos etc
    Although they seemed old to me at the time,they were probably in their thirtys.
    Im 34 next year (my profile says 37 or 38 but I just selected anything to join and can no longer change it)
    So how old is to old to drive a hot hatch
     
  2. Never too old.

    Didn't you hear of the 70+ year old with a 500+ bhp M135i?
     
  3. Yes seen it on youtube before but you see my point,he looks silly being in that car coming from someone who is in their 30's
    Someone in their 30/40s probably look like that from someone in their late teens early twenties if you know what I mean?
     
  4. matt e

    matt e South East RSM Area Rep

    isnt there someone from scotland who quite old and has a .R @-Jamie- might know
     
  5. I saw a bloke who must have been in his 70s in a Golf R recently. If it makes them happy, good luck to them. I'd probably feel a bit silly sometimes if I had a Fiesta ST or Swift Sport (I'm mid 30s) so I can understand the desire for something a bit more grown up but, if you like a particular type of car, you shouldn't worry about what other people think. If they judge you, it's probably a worse reflection on them than it is on you.
     
  6. Exactly, who gives 2 sh#ts what people think. Them type of people are up to the eyeballs with morgage payments and riding round in pcp cars thinking their ballers. It's your hard earned money, spend it on what you like
     
    evojkp and Pyper like this.
  7. 64 & 275 trophy
    cudn't give a toss,it's my money
     
    evojkp, JlllCK J, martenr and 4 others like this.
  8. I am 55 and enjoy my Megane, there's "young Arthur" on here he has a 400+hp Clio, great guy.
    There is a guy up the road from me he is 70+ and just bought a New Focus RS, so never too old :sunglasses::sunglasses::sunglasses:
     
  9. And we can afford the insurance at our age :sunglasses::sunglasses::sunglasses:
     
  10. yes,peanuts
    remember back to when I was young and paid £2700 pa for my RS500 cossy
     
  11. wow, never paid anything near that, not even at 17 (with 10 points on my licence) a month after passing my test and insuring a Rover SD1 3500, that was £264 and my Honda CX500 was £265.
     
  12. Most I ever paid was £1200 when I was 17 for my 1.4 renault 19 prima
    Mind you iirc it had the "energy" engine with a massive extra 20bhp than normal taking it to a total of 80bhp
     
  13. Never too old. I just like something a little different from everyone else.if I had to have something that the average older person might drive then it would have to be a "sleeper".
     
  14. Got to be better than playing golf :laughing::laughing:
     
  15. all my circle of friends are all over 35, and everyone owns a hot hatch of some description,
    from me at 44 with the R26,to the youngest at 35 with a 350hp DC2 Honda.
     
  16. I'm 40 and tried the sensible grown up cars and found them boring as hell, the worst being the vw cc. I have a fiesta st180 that I bought pre reg 3 yrs ago, I did worry about the image, especially coming from an m3 and a brief stint in an f30 m sport but as soon as I drove it out the dealers I couldn't have cared less. Now it rocks widebody, is stripped out and produces 300hp and 350 torque and still couldn't care less. It mauls pretty much anything that comes at it. The 275 trophy is perfect for me, still exciting and bar the striping, isn't too outlandish looking, it kind of ticks all the boxes. Each to their own, never too old for a hot hatch.
     
  17. I'm 73 and and an ex british saloon car series racer from the 70s, so it's always been performance cars/bikes for me, apart from the Meg RS I have a 1250cc V4 Honda bike and just ordered a 1290 KTM Super Duke which is an absolute rocket ship, most young chappies can't drive anyway. :sunglasses:
     
    Davedrums, Mikey4410, Feirny and 4 others like this.
  18. -Jamie-

    -Jamie- RSM Moderator

    Young Arthur on here, Doesn't have the .R anymore. In a strong power Meg powered 197 now IIRC
     
    Feirny and matt e like this.
  19. well most dont know what oversteer is with modern fwd cars.
    older guys were brought up on cars with limited grip,
    and no safety electronics to step in to reign in a out of shape motor.

    I watched a f1 team owners race from goodwood from the 60s the other day.
    all in mk1 escorts,and driving the fkn wheels off the poor things.
    people like jack brabham,ken tyrell and especially frank williams(pre accident).
    Williams had that car way over the limit,and still kept it on the road.
    Fabulous on the limit car control.
     
  20. No such thing as too old, i think some of them like the extra spec inside you can get with these cars, and thing like that. I still have my Clio Trophy when i was 36
     
  21. My Da is always giving me grief every time I turn up with the little one cocooned in the back of the megane. He's in the 'car as a practical item' mould rather than as more than just A to B.

    I'm 37 now, but will always pick performance over that last little bit of practicality.
     
  22. Age is as much a state of mind as it is a measurement of time. The fact that you question whether you should be in a certain type of car probably indicates that you feel the need to conform to a certain stereotype for your age and therefore you probably should.

    Sent from my SM-G955F using Tapatalk
     
    Sean and idontknow like this.
  23. or.... shouldn't
     
    grantw likes this.
  24. NJH

    NJH

    Anyone who grew up in the 80s like me has a soft spot for hot hatches and understands that depth of appeal is very much real appeal and ownership satisfaction. I can also remember that back then many of the worst cars were RWD. My Dads old Vauxhall's good grief what a load of old shite but venerated now by younger lads who see RWD as some form of holy grail because they didn't grow up in an era when most of the shit cars were RWD. OK I have loved the Porsches but having done that scene for a many years and wasted a fortune trying unsuccessfully to race one time to move on back to where its at, either a hot hatch on the road or real track cars e.g. classic clubmans, formula fords, caterhams that sort of thing (or rent them). Probably the best thing actually about hot hatches, they give one a sense of reality, balance and measure in performance road car driving, the alternatives IMHE one ends up spending a fortune to get 5% better experience for 0.001% of the time. Just not worth it.

    Might as well mention it here, I have a massive itch to try and fine myself a minty DC2 (if its still possible), mid 40s and the car I desire above anything else today is 20yr old Honda.
     
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  25. Feirny

    Feirny RSM Admin

    Arthur is my hero and inspiration.
     
    Mikey4410 likes this.
  26. Never too old, I got the father in law a 265 with cup chassis and recaros at 62 as his company car!

    He's now retired and bought a new Subaru Sti (always been a scooby fan and wanted a 5 door)
     
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  27. Never too old! When you get into your 40's you stop worrying what people might be thinking and do what makes you happy. Renaultsports tend to be viewed as enthusiasts cars which helps (I reckon)
     
    grantw and Scottyboytrophy like this.
  28. S5000165.JPG
    had one..milano red..bought it when it was still in warranty.
    the most complete hot hatch package ever..power,handling,noise,brakes,gearshift.
    the easiest car i have ever driven,were it telegraphs to you when you are approaching the limit.Never had`a moment` in it in 4 years of ownership.
    checked its reg the other day..its still around and sorn most of the time.
    Only sold it because the paint was losing its pigment,even though it was permanently garaged.

    The guy that bought it sold his DC5...said it never felt as complete.

    My mate has just finished his 360hp dc2 with accord 2.3 turbo lump.
    total ground up rebuild,and will spin it wheels in fifth!

    and...its for sale!
     
  29. NJH

    NJH

    I would like one in as near stock original condition as possible on lowish miles, which sadly seems to be an almost impossible quest, or one where the price quickly becomes ludicrous. More or less given up on the DC2 fantasy but its still always there in the back of my mind.

    This is the problem with all cars like this until the recent specials (R26.R, GTI clubsport S etc.). People used them because its what there meant for but it means they nearly all get used up.
     
  30. yep..huge money now for a mint one.
    should have kept mine..but you never know were the market id going to go.

    Mine was probably one of the cleanest cars in the country.Never drove in the wet..7 inches of wax on it..1-2k a year.

    Only got 1 serious buyer and a whole load of dreamers.
     
  31. Never to old.hatches give u the best thrill and aslong as you enjoy your car then all is well.bugger what anybody else says.
     
    grantw likes this.
  32. Nonsense. Drive what you want and can afford. age has no bearing. Or should not. I love seeing and hearing the older gents in hot hatches and performance cars. Means they still have blood flowing through there veins.

    I am only 34. I have a Golf R32 and the Meg 250. I would rather being driving these than a boring Eco Box any day that made me look grown up.

    My 3rd car at the age of 19 coming from a Nova SR, Clio 16V was an MR2 Turbo. Which I promptly tuned to an unusable 360bhp. That made for an interesting drive...............
     
    Mikeyjp likes this.
  33. QUITE OLD?!. I am only 77years and 8 months old.Anyone that wants a very slow ride, I am at Anglesea 30 June,Spa 17 July. I broke the track record for the slowest lap ever at Anglesea I will have you know.
     
  34. matt e

    matt e South East RSM Area Rep

    49 years older than me :tonguewink:
     
  35. 77 and still throwing a meg round a track, you my friend are a hero!
     
    Paul21 likes this.
  36. And he is a very charming young man to boot :sunglasses:
     
  37. Hope to catch up with you sometime in the year mate :sunglasses:
     
  38. Hi Ian, got a few dated this year, I am sure we will meet soon.
     
    ianplymouth likes this.

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